FIFA Fines Hong Kong for Fans’ Alleged Racism in Philippines Match

FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, has fined the Hong Kong Football Association 30,000 Swiss francs ($33,150) because of alleged racist behavior by some fans during a match against the Philippines at Hong Kong’s Mong Kok Stadium last year.

“On the night in question it is alleged that a minority of Hong Kong supporters were guilty of racial discrimination and throwing missiles,” HKFA said in a statement Friday. “Under the terms of the FDC [FIFA Disciplinary Code] the ‘home’ organizer i.e. the HKFA is responsible for the behavior of its supporters.”

Following the June 4 match, The South China Morning Post cited spectators as saying a section of Hong Kong supporters threw bottles at mostly women and children, called the Philippine fans slaves and booed the country’s national anthem.

Advertisement

The HKFA said Friday that FIFA has only provided the terms of its decision.

“We are disappointed with this initial decision and we reserve the right to lodge a formal appeal once we have been given more information on the grounds for this decision,” the HKFA’s chief executive Mark Sutcliffe said the statement.

“In my opinion, the incidents were very minor in nature and there was significant provocation by a number of the Philippine players,” he said, without elaborating. “Having said that, we do not condone any acts of violence or racial discrimination and…we will implement stadium bans on any individuals convicted of an offence of this nature.”

In addition to the fine, the HKFA has been ordered to pay 3,000 Swiss francs to cover the costs of FIFA’s investigation. A disciplinary committee met in November to consider the behavior of the fans during the match, which the Philippines won 1-0.

Mr. Sutcliffe said there haven’t been any problems in matches since. He added that, while he understood FIFA’s firm line, the money would be better spent on the development of soccer in Hong Kong rather than “going into the coffers of FIFA.”

Several clubs and countries have been fined for inappropriate behavior by fans, but soccer’s governing bodies have sometimes been disproportionate with their punishments. In 2012, for example, the European governing body UEFA fined FC Porto 20,000 euros ($27,240) after some of the club’s fans made monkey chants at Mario Balotelli. That same year, UEFA fined Danish striker Nicklas Bendter 100,000 euros for revealing a betting company’s logo on his underwear when he lifted his shirt in a goal celebration.

In better news for Hong Kong soccer, FIFA said it had moved three places up the world rankings to 137th spot, ahead of Afghanistan and just below North Korea and Syria. The Philippines stayed put in 127th place in the latest rankings, released Thursday.

About Southeast Asia Real Time

Indonesia Real Time provides analysis and insight into the region, which includes Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. Contact the editors at SEAsia@wsj.com.

E-commerce sites and mobile apps are drawing on data they’ve collected from users to better understand how and when people shop during the Islamic holy month. Here’s a look at some of what they’ve discovered.

All that burning rubbish in Indonesia may be taking its toll, with nearly a quarter of people surveyed in a recent poll saying waste management was the most prominent environmental issue in the country.